COLUMBIA, Mo 1/6/16 (Beat Byte) -- Citizens wondering how Columbia became the state's highest cost of living city after low costs landed it on so many "best places" lists need look no further than Columbia Public Schools (CPS) and Columbia City Hall.

School Board Members -- and voters -- passed seven property tax increases in the last seven years, cranking up rents, housing costs, business expenses, and consumer prices, as the tax increases are passed along.

Even more relentless, Columbia city manager Mike Matthes and the City Council have approved a staggering array of fee, rate, fine, and tax hikes since he took office in 2011. City Hall has a monopoly on most utilities, parking, and dozens of other services, and a huge impact on consumer costs.